Graduate's path to commencement stage is rocky, lifeless, humorous

Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow / Livestream

The path some travel to an online degree later in life is rarely boring, but Garrison Bailey’s account takes the graduation cake.

Her path to a master’s degree went through rock 'n' roll and the morgue.

She walked the stage at Grand Canyon University this morning in the first of six ceremonies over three days for online and cohort students at Global Credit Union Arena but not before giving a life summary (in her paraphrased words):

My whole life I have been doing music, but my father was a musician, and my mother didn’t like my father so didn’t want me to do it. I had to play saxophone through high school and played drums for the church, but the church said it was vulgar for women to sit like that.

I wanted to be a rock star, so I moved to Sedona where I honed my drumming at open mics and learned to play without comments. I knew if I was going to pull myself up, I had to do it on my own.

I came back to San Diego for family in 2007 and worked in admin for the hospital. I gotta figure out my life, so I called GCU and started my journey in communications in 2009. My goal was to work communications at the hospital once I graduated.

But I moved to Pennsylvania and worked in radio for $16 an hour, and I loved it. I had my own talk show, but after five years, I came back to family in San Diego again in 2020 and finished my bachelor’s when COVID hit.

I applied for 100 jobs at the University of San Diego, and they called and said they had a job for me.

That was a lie.

I found out I am good at working with dead people.

My first day in the morgue, I kept thinking they are humans. But they are dead people. Nothing can change this. If anyone is alive in here, please raise your hand.

We normally had two morgues, but during COVID, they had three more. On my desk would be a death packet with what they died from, what time and next of kin. Then I would call the family. I would tell them options of cremation or burial, make sure the deceased had a wristband, things like that.

I would be on call, even on Christmas. On Christmas Day, 22 people died. I called 22 families, 22 death certificates. It was sad but rewarding.

So I said to my counselor: “I am good with dead people. They’re quiet and the room is cold.”

But I got a new boss. She said, “You are just clerical.” That lit a fire, and I called Grand Canyon in 2024. “My boss just called me stupid, what courses can I take to get my master’s?”

I came upon forensic psychology. I soaked up every bit of it. My goal is to work for the FBI or sheriff’s department to be an evidence tech. In one class I had to do a murder PowerPoint. I don’t know if it is good or bad that I was excited about that.

I asked to go with the pathologist to the morgue. You could smell the autopsy suite before you got there. Can’t get over that smell. It never goes away. I decided to take the criminology path.

I want to be the person that helps.

I am 55. (“It’s a big day,” she said, before entering the arena, “I don’t do anything early.")

The only things I will tell people …

Start early and don’t stop.

Why not squeeze life out of life?

Don’t be afraid to do stuff. I was always told I couldn’t do that. I am a drummer in a protest band called The Rezisters.

The morgue put it in perspective. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

We get one life.

Don’t hurt people.

Find your path. Don’t listen to negative Nancies.

You better have a sense of humor.

Grand Canyon University senior writer Mike Kilen can be reached at [email protected]

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